Yogibeehttps://yogibee.live
Yoga Teacher passionate about healthy living
Tue, 20 Nov 2018 18:24:28 +0000 en
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://s0.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngYogibeehttps://yogibee.live
From office to jungle – in 5 steps.https://yogibee.live/2018/11/15/from-office-to-jungle-how-i-did-it/
https://yogibee.live/2018/11/15/from-office-to-jungle-how-i-did-it/#respondThu, 15 Nov 2018 17:54:29 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1608I have been thinking about writing this post for a year now.
A few people have asked me about my ‘leap’ from:International Labor Standards Analyst for The Walt Disney Company
-> into backpacker
-> into full time yoga teacher in the Caribbean;
And when people ask, I tend to say ‘I’m going to write a blog about it with more info.’;
So here it is, at last.

Part of the reason why I have been resisting writing this article is because I feared it might make me sound like I think I’ve got it all figured out, which I know I don’t.
Then I reminded myself that basing decisions on imaginary based fears is a poor excuse not to share a bit about how my life changed, in what I consider to be a positive way. So those who dream about a potential similar life change can have a little insight.

Planting the seed.

In my early 20s I was admirative of my friends who had travelled far from home with just a backpack.
But it wasn’t for me. I didn’t have the financial stability to do it in my 20s, when most of my friends did, so I created a story about how I didn’t want to do it anyway, since I wouldn’t want to travel alone. How could I!?

For my 28th Bday I managed to save some money and decided to go back to Mexico with a childhood friend, for the 1st time in 16 years!
During this trip, my girlfriend and I realised with no hard feelings that we liked doing different things.
I wanted to surf, she wanted to ride horses, I wanted to do lots of yoga, she had never done yoga before…
The last few days of our 3 week holiday, she decided to stay with her dad in Bacalar, and I decided to venture on my own to Tulum. Tulum is close to where I grew up, so I wasn’t quite in unknown territory, but after 16 years of living in Europe, it certainly felt like it.
So here I was, ‘travelling alone’ for 3 days, just enough to help me realise it wasn’t so scary after all. In fact, I loved it so much that I decided I wanted to do it more.
When I went back to work, I asked my manager if I could take a sabbatical the following September. I wanted to allow myself 1 year to save between $12,000 and £12,000. Having spoken to a few travellers I figured out I needed between $1,000 and a £1,000/month, depending on the way in which I wanted to travel. Saving £1,000/ month seemed impossible, so I sat down and worked on a Plan.

My Plan:

I was earning good money with my office job, but like many Londoners, I spent most of it on dinners, clothes, long week ends away and longer holidays, leaving me with very little savings every month.
So I decided to radically change the way I spent my money.

Step 1: No shopping.
I committed to quit shopping for 6 months. No clothes, accessories or anything that was not ‘indispensable’. I really had to redefine my notion of indispensable. It was actually a lot easier than I thought, as I had so many things already. And I did a couple of clothes swaps with friends to keep my wardrobe interesting.

Step 2: No eating out.
I stopped eating out completely.
I had always been pretty good about cooking lunch, but I took it to the next level and avoided spending money on take away coffees and/or snacks. I had no awareness of how much I spent every month on what I considered to be occasional treats.
I declined dinner invitations, explaining I was saving for my sabbatical. I must admit this was not the easiest, as most of my friends went out for dinner to get together, but I would suggest catching a class or doing a picnic on the week end instead.

Step 3: Budgeting and tracking my spending.
I had never done this before and I admit, I looked down on people who did… It seemed so boring and extreme to me, yet I knew it was the only way to keep track of my money, so I downloaded the spending tracker app, which I would recommend to anyone trying to save.

Step 4: Make more money.
This is obviously easier said than done but not impossible.
I was lucky enough to have completed my Yoga Teacher training in the months prior to my decision, so I had a skill I could share, but very little idea of how to. I contacted gyms, fellow yoga teachers and yoga studios until I was teaching most evenings after work. At times it was tiring, but I had a goal in mind and it gave me energy I didn’t know I had.
You don’t need to be a yoga teacher to get a side job. You can work as a nanny, a waiter/waitress, an English teacher, or anything you can think of really. Time to get creative and believe in yourself!

Step 5: Cut back on my overall spending.
Despite not shopping or eating out, I knew I could still save some more by cutting back on some things. I decided to make my friends Birthday cards and gifts, and got into the habit of checking the clearance isle when shopping for food.

And guess what, by the time it was time to Go, I had hit my target and even saved a little extra, which was a nice to have of course.

From Backpacker to Full time Yoga Teacher

The concept of a sabbatical is that you take time off work and return to work at the end.
Having a job I liked, colleagues I Loved, a manager who gave me all the flexibility I needed, a short commute, occasional travelling to Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels and with a promotion in sight, I had every intention of going back to my job at the end of my year of travels.

But then, life happened…

8 months and 8 countries into my travels, I stumbled upon an Archipelago on the Caribbean coast of Panama: Bocas del Toro.

I had never even heard about this place before my travels, but I Loved it from the start. The theme of my travels was ‘Island life’, And having grown up in the Caribbean, I’ve always held a special spot for this Sea in my heart. I only had 3 days on the islands before I headed to Panama City and onto Colombia to meet a friend who was visiting from London. On the 2nd day I met Eduardo, who has now been my boyfriend since then. He convinced me to stay an additional day before continuing my travels. We hung out for 3 days and I decided to buy a rather expensive, out of budget, flight back from Cartagena to Panama City, followed by a 12 hour overnight bus back to Bocas (once my friend left of course!). It made no sense to go back North since my parents were also coming to Colombia less than a month later, but it was what I wanted to do and I had developed a confidence that things would be ok if I ran out of money. Many people I met on my travels did not travel with savings, they volunteered in hostels in exchange of accommodation and found small jobs to do while on the road. This is also an option if saving money is not doable.

During my 2nd visit to the islands I was lucky enough to meet a few women who gave me opportunities to teach. Thank you @Carolina and @Katherine I am immensely grateful. Unsurprisingly, a couple of classes a week were not enough to sustain living on this rather expensive paradise. Fortunately I still had savings to keep me going while I figured things out. So I decided to reach out to hostels, and the gym, to see if I could get more classes. I had to be persistent but it worked. I now teach 7 public yoga classes a week + occasional privates and 1 HIIT class as the gym. Many of my 1st classes were empty, but I saw them as opportunities for self-practice and tried my best to keep a positive attitude.

I also work at my boyfriend’s restaurants one or 2 days a week, and even did a few fun shifts selling tickets for the infamous Filthy Friday.

What I’m trying to say is that it hasn’t been all straightforward from the start. I had to get myself out there. I had to face rejection (in its kindest form), and I still have to face fears regarding financial stability. But I’ve chosen this life of uncertainty and freedom. I get to spend more time doing the things that I love, living at a rhythm that feels more natural to me.

When people ask how long I plan on staying here my answer is always: ‘For as long as I am happy here.’ and luckily my boyfriend is also open to considering life elsewhere when the time is right.

I hope this helps anyone with dreams of changing their life. And remember, Dream Big! Our biggest obstacle is often our mind.

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/11/15/from-office-to-jungle-how-i-did-it/feed/09.340354 -82.2403809.340354-82.240380WhatsApp Image 2018-11-19 at 22.25.52yogimelimeloWhatsApp Image 2018-11-15 at 13.05.09planwhatsapp-image-2018-11-20-at-12-23-55.jpegBocas.jpgViva Colombia!https://yogibee.live/2018/05/31/viva-colombia/
https://yogibee.live/2018/05/31/viva-colombia/#commentsThu, 31 May 2018 01:06:40 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1631I have been to Colombia twice and I loved it both times, although both visits were very different. The first time I arrive in Cartagena after 6 days at sea and spent only 5 days between Cartagena and Santa Marta. The 2nd time my parents and I did a road trip over 20 days.

Here are a few tips for visiting this beautiful country:

Pick your route and mode of transport wisely

Despite looking small in comparison to XL neighbour Brasil; Colombia is a vast country and you should definitely consider this before embarking on your adventure. Depending on how long you have, I would recommend considering internal flights for long distances and either buses or renting a car for the harder to access locations.

My recommended route for a 3 weeks:

Bogota 2-4 days

Bucaramanga 1-2 days

Curumani 1-2 days

Cartagena 2-3 days

Medellin 2-3 days

Jardin 1-2 days

Barrichara 1-2 days

Salento 1-2 days

Bogota 1 day

If like us, you chose to travel by land, beware of the rainy season (April – May & October – November). I did’t mind the actual rain, but the heavy rains often result in mud slides and consequential road blocks in mountainous ares.

2. NEGOTIATE

Depending on your cultural background and where you have lived most of your life, this may not be a skill you have mastered, however, in Colombia, like in many other developing countries, sellers pump up the prices, expecting you to negotiate. I must admit I was reluctant to haggle excessively but watching my dad obtain things for up to half the price inspired me to try a little harder. Be mindful of not over doing it of course, it is important that those selling get a fair deal too, but don’t feel guilty for giving it a go. Spending less with one vendor means you can spend the rest with another vendor and spared the riches around.

3. Be patient

Again, I’d say this applies not only for Colombia but for many developing countries where the sense of urgency might not be the same as what you are used to back home. The service industry is strong and in my experience people will go the extra mile to make you smile, however that may take a little while. (totally made it rhyme on purpose haha!)

If you are a coffee lover, you must be warned, a art from in the coffee zone, coffee quality throughout the rest of Colombia is disappointing, as most of the good coffee is exported. Patience, you will come across outstanding coffee once you reach the coffee area. It’s worth the wait!

I decided to keep this post short so I have not included hotels and restaurants, the internet does a great job at it, but please don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions.

How to:
Chop the onion
Slice the courgette
Grate the carrot, cabbage and ginger
Cut the broccoli in small florets and the stem in cubes (the stem is edible, don’t waste it)

Lightly fry the onion and grated ginger in 2tbsp of the oil of your choice
Add the broccoli, and courgette and fry on a low heat
Add the grated carrot and cabbage and fry the veggies together for a few more minutes (I like my veggies a little raw)

Boil water and add the spaghetti, cook until al dente, drain and add to the veggie mix. Add last spoonful of oil, sal, pepper, soy sauce, sesame seeds and cayenne pepper or sriracha.

Et voila!
Vegan, healthy, filling, delicious and instagrammable!

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/05/17/rainbow-spaghetti/feed/0WhatsApp Image 2018-04-25 at 22.43.34yogimelimeloRandom Acts of Kindnesshttps://yogibee.live/2018/05/04/random-acts-of-kindness/
https://yogibee.live/2018/05/04/random-acts-of-kindness/#respondFri, 04 May 2018 02:07:35 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1594So, what is a random act of kindness?

According to good old Wikipedia
“A random act of kindness is a non premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world.”

This topic is close to my heart because over the past 9 months I have been on the receiving end of countless of these so called random acts of kindness. I want to share how they have impacted me, with the hope of inspiring others to take part in this ‘movement’.

Before I started travelling, 9 months ago, I had a pretty positive outlook on the world, despite the media being saturated with horror stories that vilify ‘the other’. Understandably, many of the people around me were slightly fearful for me.

I obviously knew that my blunter friends meant well, when telling me that ‘most people are assholes’ and that I shouldn’t trust anyone; but I decided to approach my travels with optimism and high expectations for humanity. And guess what?! I have not been disappointed. I have experienced a couple of shitty situations, but the abundance of beautiful experiences more than make up for them. In fact, I have been touched and moved by the kindness of most people I have met along my travels, locals and travellers alike. I have included a list of the most memorable things people have done for me at the bottom of this post in case you are curious.
I’d even say that traveling on my own has given me more trust in human kind than ever before. Human beings are good! Some behave ‘badly’ but that is mostly out of necessity and/or ignorance.

Less about me, more about ‘it’

As per the definition, the idea is simple:
Do something kind for ‘someone’, just because you can.
This can be as simple as smiling at someone. And you would be surprised by the impact such a ‘small thing’ can have on someone’s day. This year has taught me that, no matter how small, it is always better to do something positive than not doing it. Whatever can make someone feel seen and cared for is worth the effort. Even if it’s just offering gum or starting conversation with your bus neighbour.

I must admit, I have previously hesitated to do things because I considered them to be too insignificant. Not anymore! If we all do little kind things for each other, the World will be a much kinder place all together. And the beautiful thing is that not only the receiver of such acts benefits. Many will share these with their friends, who will most probably be lifted by the positive story and may even be inspired. And guess what?! Doing something good, in return feels good!!

I say this from experience, as I have also been on the giving end of RAK, but this blog is not about that. In fact, the beauty of these acts, is that they are not done for recognition, reward or gratification, they come from a selfless place, without expectation of anything in return.

Last but not least:

I refer to this as a sort of new movement because we have given it a modern name but I know this is by no means something new. In fact, I strongly believe that kindness comes naturally to happy human beings. However, it seems, the fear culture and the distance sometimes caused by social media and/or living in big cities has made these more rare.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to be kind to me. I am grateful.

San Francisco: Local gave me a ride back to my friend’s house late at night after a dance medicine classBurning Man: I’d probably need a whole post about this so I’ll just say this is the place where I have experienced the most random acts of kindness per hour!!Hawaii: Friend let me stay with her for 10 days
Local (new friend’s friend) let me stay on her couch
Local gave me a free botanical garden tour
Fellow traveller lent me her hoodie to hike up a volcanoLA: Local (new friend) let me stay for 2 weeksSan Diego: Local gifted me a bracelet from his market stall when I said my budget did not allow for shoppingBaja California: Hostel owner saved me some of the food she cooked for herself and her son
Holidayer bought me the same pair of shorts as her when I said I couldn’t afford to shop
Taken to a local water spot and then to dinner with another travellerMexico: Friend picked me up from the airport at midnight and drove me to the bus station when I left
Visiting friend bought me dinner and paid for our car insurance
Friend let me stay with her for 3 nightsCuba: Friend invited me to dinnerBelize: Fellow traveller protected me from an unstable drunk local
Local gifted me a necklace made with a seed referred to as heart of the oceanGuatemala: Local gifted me a citrine stone from his stall
Guatemala to Nicaragua: Fellow traveller shared her essential oils with me to make the long journey more pleasantNicaragua: ‘Foreign local’ took me around the island on a bike
Spanish couple on holiday took me to the waterfall I dreamed of going to but couldn’t as I didn’t have a carCosta Rica – Envision Festival: Like Burning Man, too many RAK to mention but the most memorable one is my friend making a macrame necklace for me.Colombia: Tourist bought me a hairband when he heard me tell me friend I couldn’t justify buying both
Expat gave me a ride from airport to my hotelPanama: Local gave me a ride from the airport to the bus station

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/05/04/random-acts-of-kindness/feed/0WhatsApp Image 2018-05-03 at 03.49.44yogimelimeloWhat I am learning in the kitchenhttps://yogibee.live/2018/04/26/what-i-am-learning-in-the-kitchen/
https://yogibee.live/2018/04/26/what-i-am-learning-in-the-kitchen/#respondThu, 26 Apr 2018 03:23:33 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1585Growing up, my parents had a restaurant. My brother and I would often go there after school and I have fond memories of spending time in the kitchen once my homework was done. I Loved watching my mum and the other kitchen staff rush when the restaurant filled up; the customers blissfully unaware of how hectic things were behind the kitchen doors. I liked feeling like I was in on the secrets.

As a teenager, once we moved to France, I remember watching my grandma cooking for big family meals. I liked helping. She would let me do the salad dressing, or arrange the cured meats and or cheese on beautiful plates.

As a young adult, I worked as a waitress while I studied at University. Despite it being hard work, I enjoyed the sociable aspect of the job. I knew of call centre jobs that paid better, but I liked talking to customers and making them feel special. Going out to eat should be a pleasant experience and I took pride in making sure that that was the case for everyone I waited on.

Since university, I did not work in a restaurant again, but I cooked a lot. Enjoying the whole process, from food shopping, to eating and sharing my creations of course. I have even written a few recipes on my blog in case you are curious.

Over the past 8 months, while traveling, I have really missed having a kitchen. Most hostels have kitchens, but the vast majority are not the most practical, if functioning at all. Also, it s not so easy to buy food for 1 or 2 meals. I actually travelled with a few spices (cumin, paprika, cinnamon) fresh garlic (#frenchaf) and dried chillies (#mexicanaf). So when I had the opportunity to help out in my boyfriend s restaurant, I was very excited. Sharp knives and functioning blenders excite me!

Although I have worked in restaurants and cooked a lot at home, I had never actually worked in a restaurant kitchen. I often talk about how much I dislike following recipes, as I like to follow my “instinct” (aka my fingers to taste things as I go), and I find most recipes over complicated. But in a professional kitchen there isn t so much room for error as when you are cooking for yourself or a few friends, so I have had to adapt somewhat.

When I 1st came back to Bocas del Toro, 1 month ago, my boyfriend had just introduced breakfasts to the menu. Breakfast / Brunch is my favorite meal of the day!

The day before their 1st breakfast I insisted on helping him and he put me in charge of the waffle preparation. I had never made waffles, but that is the beauty of recipes. You don t need to have made something before in order to make it. As long as you follow the recipe word by word that is. And that is where the challenge lay for me.

Eduardo has previously worked in a Michelin starred restaurant, and although Hungry Monkey is more of a surf food kinda chilled restaurant, he takes pride in doing everything to the highest standard possible, and expects everyone who works there to do the same.

Working with Eduardo is teaching me to pay more attention to detail and to follow instructions carefully. If I ever used a recipe and it asked me to pass the flour through a siv I would have smiled and skipped that step, but I didn’t t even bother asking him if I could skip it as I already knew the answer.

I haven t had many machines in previous kitchens and I liked thinking that I enjoyed doing every step myself. I take it back!! Having used one of those dough mixers, I can happily say that it is a lot easier than doing this by hand And it s Fun!

Working in the kitchen is also teaching me the importance of time. I have a relatively relaxed approach to time when cooking, which means that my pasta is not always al dente… But again, in a professional kitchen 1min can make a big difference, between edible or not. So I am doing my best to respect cooking times etc.

The 1st day that the restaurant opened for breakfast I was very excited to be the 1st to order the waffles with the blueberry compote (made by moi as well). I enjoyed every bite of my well deserved waffles and decided that recipes were not so bad after all. Although for now, I will stick to waiting on tables and playing chef at home

Thank you for reading and if you happen to come via Bocas del Toro in Panama, please come by for breakfast or lunch!

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/04/26/what-i-am-learning-in-the-kitchen/feed/0WhatsApp Image 2018-04-25 at 22.22.24yogimelimelowhatsapp-image-2018-05-03-at-03-43-27.jpegWhy we climb volcanoeshttps://yogibee.live/2018/02/10/why-we-climb-volcanoes/
https://yogibee.live/2018/02/10/why-we-climb-volcanoes/#respondSat, 10 Feb 2018 16:57:57 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1576Acatenango is the 3rd volcano I have hiked in the past 6 months.
The 1st 2 were in Hawai: Haleakala – 24km and Ka’au Crater – 8 hours (up 3 waterfalls). A part from being beautiful hikes, all 3 were challenging for different reasons, and during all 3 there was one short moment when I wondered ‘Why am I doing this?!‘. Having mentioned this to some of my fellow hikers, it seems I am not the only one to face this feeling. So what is it that drives so many of us to get to the top?!

I use the example of volcanoes but I believe this goes for mountains and other physically challenging feats.

Just to set the scene…

Acatenango is a dormant volcano that can be hiked overnight.
Groups leave at 8am and return 1pm the next day.
Base camp is at 3,600m and the top is at 3,900m.
Hikers must carry 4-5L water, food and warm clothes but there is also the option to pay someone to carry everything to the top (250Q = 25pounds)
The first day hike can take between 4 and 6 hours.
The 2nd day is a 4am wake up for a 4.30am start, a 1.5-2 hour hike to the top to see the sun rise. Followed by a 45m-1hour hike back down to base camp, a 45min rest and a 3-4 walk back down.

The above is enough to put some people off, yet there are still many people who chose to do it. But WHY?

From what I have observed and experienced there are 2 main reasons:

1. These experiences bring out the best in people and it is beautiful to witness.
For the vast majority of people, helping others is 2nd nature and in situations where ‘strangers’ need support, most would volunteer to help as much as they can.
At the very beginning of the hike I had a dilemma because my 5th L of water did not fit in my non hiking backpack and a beautiful woman who´s bag was already very heavy, offered to carry it for me. I actually decided to leave the 5th L behind, but I was amazed that someone would offer to carry 1L up a volcano for someone whose name they didn’t even know. This woman is now a friend who I trust will be in my life for years to come.

Throughout the hike up, anytime someone slipped or fell, there was always someone to ask if they were ok.

I was last in the fast group (4 hours BOOYAH!) and I was touched by my pro hiker group’s encouragements, thank you team!

Once at the top, we talked around a fire and again it was beautiful to observe people who did not know each other prior to the climb, ask each other how they were feeling and if they were warm enough.

The hardest part for me was the hike before sunrise because it was dark and cold, but I felt so supported that it was like heat for me soul. Sadly, that does not translate into actual heat for my physical body haha!

I recall a friend telling me he hoped I’d have a ‘good group’, my answer was that I knew I would. I simply trusted that no matter who I hiked with, it would bring out the best in them, and I was right!

Within our group there were people from Poland, France, USA, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Mexico (representando!), Italy and Israel (+ our Guatemalan guides) and we all bonded.

2. We enjoy challenging ourselves (probs many people´s 1st reason)
There is obviously something to be said about the satisfaction we feel when we achieve something hard. And there is nothing more humbling than realising how small we are when facing mother earth’s grandiosity.
In my experience hardship makes you appreciate the luxuries you have daily.
Sleeping in earth covered clothes makes your 1st hot shower worth all the gold in the world.

It is also very interesting to see each person´s notions of ‘cleanliness’. To illustrate this I’d like to share this short conversation with fellow hiker and badass German solo female traveller who happened to be my ‘roomie’:

Me:’If you think the hike was hard, try doing a no 2 in those toilets’Rommie: ‘Really?! I didn’t think they were so bad!’Me: ‘They’re covered in dry shit! How could it be worse?’Roomie 1: It could be wet shit!

This made us laugh so much that it made me realise the absurdity of it all. These things are so minor when you are on top of a volcano about to spend the night with 2 new friends in a tent that doesn’t close.

Something that I also highly value in these experiences. Is the opportunity to bond with local guides. Although I always try to connect with locals, it’s not every day that you spend over 24 hours with someone.

OH and the view at the top is not too bad either!

If you are thinking of doing please follow these tips:
– DO NOT do this hike without a guide, 6 people died last year!
– DO NOT underestimate the cold. It’s COLD! (You can hire warm clothes from a lavanderia)
– Bring Marshmallows to share, people loved them
– Remember, it’s hard but not impossible! And it is WORTH it!!!

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/02/10/why-we-climb-volcanoes/feed/0WhatsApp Image 2018-02-10 at 10.52.05yogimelimeloWhatsApp Image 2018-02-10 at 10.52.07WhatsApp Image 2018-02-10 at 10.52.08.jpegWhatsApp Image 2018-02-10 at 10.52.09WhatsApp Image 2018-02-10 at 10.52.06.jpegVisit Mexico in 3 weekshttps://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/visit-mexico-in-3-weeks/
https://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/visit-mexico-in-3-weeks/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 23:14:34 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1572So you want to visit Mexico?
Great! It´s a beautiful country with lots to see and experience, the food is renowned throughout central and South America, and Mexicans are friendly and welcoming. But let´s clear something before we even start, Mexico is a BIG country, and whether you have 3 or 4 weeks, you will not be able to visit the whole country. Here I will give you my idea of a good itinerary to maximise time, while enjoying each place.

The North of Mexico has lots to offer, but it is currently a bit dangerous, and although I loved Baja California (stayed there 3 weeks!), being from the South, I am slightly biased and would recommend saving the North for your 2nd trip to Mexico. (Yes, most people fall in love and come back. My parents even stayed 20 years haha!)

Fligts
I would recommend flying into Mexico City and flying out of Cancun if the price difference to fly out of another city is not too much. This will save you time and money on internal flights.

Internal flights
The luxury bus company ADO is a great option for short to medium distances but some are just worth doing by plane if you can afford it.
For internal flghts, check Interjet and Aeromexico 1st, although these days most prices are similar.

How you distribute your time once in Mexico will be very personal to you of course. But these are my tips as someone who lived in a city and wanted to finish near the sea and ideally come back with a tan.

Let´s assume you have 21 days including 2 days of flights which leaves us with 19 full days to explore and fall in love with Mexico.
I´m going to keep it brief and exclude accomodation and restaurants and just include things worth doing.

Mazunte – Pacific Coast (Oaxaca State)
3-4 nights
Surf if you are a surfer, take a surf lesson if not.
Eat ceviche with your feet in the sand.
Visit Zipolite and San Augustinillo

Oaxaca City
1-2 nights
Visit Hierve el Agua, it´s a day trip.
Eat a Tlayuda.
If you have any space in your luggage for souvenirs, this is the place for beautiful and cheap souvenirs.

San Cristobal de las Casas – Chiapas
1-2 nights
Visit en Canyon del Sumidero – day trip
Also a good place to buy souvenirs

Palenque
1 night
Visit the ruins of Palenque.

Cancun
You will most likely land or arrive here by bus. Despite being from Cancun and enjoying visiting my friends I wouldn´t recommend staying over night.

Isla Mujeres
1-3 nights
How long you stay here depends on whether you are happy chilling on the beach. There isn´t much to do on the island but I personally love the slow rhythm of islands and think 2 nights is too little.
I wouldn´t recommend doing the underwater museum. I haven´t done it but I have been told it´s not worth it.

Tulum
3-5 nights
Please note there is Tulum town and Tulum beach. They´re not far from each other and you can either cycle, drive, or get the local colectivos or cheap taxis.
Visir the Coba ruins.
Go to a Cenote. (I love cenote Jaguar! 250 pesos entry)
If you want to see turtles, go to Akumal but expect a crouded beach.
Go into town to eat street food!

If you have more time…
Island of Holbox – min 2 nights as it is far from Cancun. You can get a bus from
Cancun to Holbox and from Holbox to Playa del Carmen, which is near Tulum.
Laguna de Bacalar – 2 nights min as it is quite far from Tulum, but it is beautiful and peaceful. Worth the trip if you can make it.
Cozumel – 1 day, rent a scooter and go around the island.

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/visit-mexico-in-3-weeks/feed/0DFyogimelimeloHow the 1% party in Tulumhttps://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/how-the-1-party-in-tulum/
https://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/how-the-1-party-in-tulum/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 20:23:18 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1560While I travel, I aim to experience each country, each town, each moment, less like a tourist and more like a local, in spite of my undeniably priviledged state of being (not having to work and with enough disposable income to afford many luxuries most locals do not have access to – hot water, 3 meals a day, a bed!).

Word of mouth
So how did I end up experiencing one of these lavish beach parties?!
I´d heard of these parties and some of my burner friends had told me that Mayan Warrior (Mexican DJs) would be playing some time in January. Simply knowing about these parties requires knowing someone who knows about them. Buying tickets may even require joining a facebook group and being accepted in order to access the online ticket sale. But if you have cash, all of this should not be a problem of course.

Price
Before New Year´s Eve, I was horrified to hear of parties that ranged from $150-$450 (USD). I hear tables cost $1,000 per person! For Londoners and New Yorkers, aka most of the party goers, these prices may not seem outrageous, even reasonable for NYE, but in a country where the minimum wage is approx $100 USD/ month, I find this quite sickening.

My way in…
For NYE my friends and I refused to pay those prices and instead went out in town where the entry was free, the music good and the vibes high. We moved onto free beach bar La Eufemia and danced with our feet in the sand until the sun came out. My friends left and I follwed a group of Columbians who said we could access one of these exclusive parties from the beach. We went, we danced, and I was stunned by the grandiosity of the venue (Casa Malca), but was very glad that I had not spent a penny to enter. The party lasted till 3pm, by which point my sober mind could not ignore my body´s exhaustion.

One of the Columbian friends happens to be an awesome Graffitti artist: Felipe Cespedes.
We became friends and he mentioned that he would be doing a live painting for one of these parties. Part of me wished I didn´t want to go, but the truth was, curiosity was killing me. So I asked if he might need an ´assistant´. My experience with street art..? My brother used to be a grafitti artist, does that count..? Anyway, he made it work and I got a ´free entry´to the party (I did actually assist him from midnight to 3am but it felt like a priviledge to watch him work and even help). Not only was I in, but I had access to the backstage. Oh yes, of course there is a backstage, for the many performers and co. Rather than thinking of this as a party, I started to understand it was a fully immersive experience, with some of the World´s best DJs playing.

Entertainment and Rituals
Like in many parties I normally go to in London, there were obviously ´glitter stations´, for the opportunity to be beautified.
During the night there were also numerous dance shows, with beautifully dressed artists and even some on stilts.
I was also surprised to find some of these artists burning palo santo and sage throughout the party. Both are normally used in a ritualistic way to clear negative energy. I personally burn both at home and ocasionally at parties too, yet my initial reaction was one of rejection. As if these rituals belonged more to me, which I quickly recognised as false and even asked one of the sage burners to smudge me. Ultimately, the commercialisation of ancient rituals is a positive side effect of the growth of new wave spirituality.

Dress Code
Everywhere I looked I saw beautiful people. In the bathroom, with better lighting, I noticed similar looking faces. Noses seemed oddly perfect and boobs a little disproportionate.
Back on the dancefloor I had the weird sensation of being surrounded by ´hippie costumes´. By that I mean that it looked a little like many of these women had gone into expensive shops and spent a lot of money, buying what they thought hippies wore. The same part of me that initially rejected the use of my beloved rituals was a little bothered by this, but again, I accepted this as the current fashion in Tulum and other trendy places around the world.
After all, what is a modern hippie and what do they look like? My opinion is that hippiedom is a life philosophy and clothes are just a way of expressing this, and recognising each other. But ultimately it doesn´t matter! If wearing flowers in their hair makes women kinder to each other and walking barefoot makes them more likely to pick up rubish on the ground, then it is all positive in my eyes. And even if it doesn´t fashion trends do not belong to anyone.

VIPs only
So who are these people???
I obviously don´t know who all of them are, but I did dance with some of these party people throughout the night, and the next day, while I unashamedly looked at photos on instagram, I was not surprised to recognise 2 of them (an Amercian guy and a Mexican woman with a friend or bodyguard I am unsure) who both seem to be models / professional party goers with thousands of followers.
I also met a group of women who said that they had only met people from London, LA and NYC while in Tulum. This saddened me. Their experience of my ´Mexico´ is totally sterilised and prevents any real exchanges with locals, who for the most part cannot afford the entry.

Cash free zone
Another thing that surprised me was the lack of cash. People used their entry bracelets, which they could charge and then use at the bar. (I had a staff bracelet without credit but had access to the staff food and drinks which was abundant of course.) This seems to allow for a very fast bar service, yet the bar was never empty. Most people were certainly intoxicated on many different substances, which I observed without judgement. After all, haven´t we (human beings) always gathered and partied consuming some sort of poison?

As the sun came out, I looked around me and was overwhelmed with gratitude that I got to experience such a party. The music was exceptional and there were smiles all around. We had made it till sunrise – Together. All of a sudden, it seemed to me that money and status were irrelevant. The party was so good that I went back to the same venue with a friend who was visiting from LA and insisted on paying my $100 entry so we could go. And again, I had an incredible time surrounded by these beautiful party people.
I can´t help but resent the fact that these parties exclude most locals, but I also understand why those who can afford it go! There is something quite unique about watching the sun rise over the Caribbean sea with hundreds of other people dancing to electronic music.

Thanks for reading!

]]>https://yogibee.live/2018/01/29/how-the-1-party-in-tulum/feed/026173207_2026973194212456_3545478068171970763_oyogimelimeloDisconnect to reconnecthttps://yogibee.live/2017/12/17/disconnect-to-reconnect/
https://yogibee.live/2017/12/17/disconnect-to-reconnect/#commentsSun, 17 Dec 2017 03:04:02 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1557When was the last time you didn t use the internet for 24 hours?

I recently spent 10 days in Holbox, a little island with terrible Wifi and a week later, another 10 days in Cuba, where internet can only be accessed in specific places, and guess what, I Loved it!

I have previously done week long cyber detoxes, but being in places where I could not access the internet willingly, I realised that I tend to look at my phone more times than I dare to count! As I looked around my hostel in Holbox I noticed people talking to each other and a fellow backpacker commented on the fact that there was a hostel with good wifi where people were not talking to each other as much. What a sad realisation! In Cuba, I was happy to see children play football, teens on skateboards and older generations playing chess in the street. It was a bit of a shock to be surprised by this sight. It made me really worry about our use of the internet and the effect it is having on us.

I decided to do a little research and found in recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation that one in ten Brits feel lonely often and 48% of people think ‘we are getting lonelier in general.’

It seems that the same technological advances that enable us to connect with people across the Globe, are also guilty of disconnecting us to people close by.

So should we ditch our phone altogether?
Of course not! but what can we do?

You gotta be on it to ‘make it’. Yet being on it could ‘’ruin your life’’ says ( David McMillan – online content creator, former YouTube employee and social media enthusiast.

David McMillan argues ‘social media has created a new generation super-empowered individuals. We are now able to broadcast our ideas, our images, our videos, and our opinions like never before. It has increased both the size of our potential audiences and the speed with which we can reach those audiences. It’s given us the tools to support charitable causes, to speak out against questionable business practices, to chastise our political leaders, and to launch social movements that can potentially change the world.’

I love this about social media, but I ask myself, what s the point in reaching wide audiences far and wide if we are not connecting with our neighbour. With the people we see every day. We are social creatures (for the most part).

What to do?

I am still learning, it seems most of us are. But here are a few rules I try to follow:

Phone stays in my pocket when I am with friends, unless I am taking photos. Messages can be read later.

Must take a picture of your meal (guilty as charged…) do it, but stay in the moment, take on picture and share it at a later stage, your food will be cold by the time you’ve found the right caption and hashtags to go with it.

Prioritise face to face

Buy an alarm clock

Sleep on flight mode

Turn internet on after morning meditation, or whatever you do when you first open your eyes in the morning.

I hope these work for you too and please feel free to share your own tips with me

]]>https://yogibee.live/2017/12/17/disconnect-to-reconnect/feed/2WhatsApp Image 2017-12-16 at 21.11.07 (1)yogimelimeloCuba in 10 dayshttps://yogibee.live/2017/12/17/cuba-in-10-days/
https://yogibee.live/2017/12/17/cuba-in-10-days/#respondSun, 17 Dec 2017 00:03:06 +0000http://yogibee.live/?p=1544Dont be mislead by the subject of this post, Cuba cannot be visited, understood and experienced within 10 days. However, I only had that amount of time on the island and I thought Id provide a few tips for anyone who might want to visit and have a similar time frame.

The first thing to note is that the island is big and rather long!
Unless you want to spend half your time on a bus or in a taxi, Id recommend staying in one “part” of the island.

I chose the West side of the Island (Havana side) and did not regret my choice.

Depending on where you are coming from, direct flights can be quite expensive. A good option can be to fly into Cancun and buy separate flights from there to Havana as they vary between $150-$200 USD.

Before you decide to plan a holiday to Cuba, you might be wondering how cheap it might be. Well, that partly depends on what kind of traveller you are, like in any other country, but I was surprised to notice that many things are as expensive as in some parts of Europe, but if you really watch your budget you can live with $40/day and still do things!

You might have heard about the double currency. Dont let it discourage you. It s pretty simple to grasp. Values below are approximate and subject to change of course!1 USD = 1 CUC (Peso Cubano Convertible)1 CUC = 25 CUP (Peso Cubano / Moneda nacional)
The CUP is mostly useful in the street, where things are Very cheap.
ie 1 banana or 1 small bag of peanuts = 1 CUP. If you don t have CUPs you simply end up paying more for things.
The City bus is also 1 CUP and I believe you cannot pay in CUCs.

Before entering the country I had heard that the CUC was used by tourists and the CUP by Cubans only. Turns out that s not quite right. You can change your currency into CUCs and your CUCs into CUPs at the exchange office. If you re staying 10 days, changing 10 CUCs into CUPs should be plenty enough.

Now that you have your flight and your money sorted, here is how/where I would recommend spending your time:

Havana (3 nights) – over a week end if you can
Sleep:
Solo traveller or backpacker friends – Hostal Red. Cheap, clean, and conveniently located. The owners are the loveliest and most helpful Cubans I met + the breakfast is included and is SO good!
For a private room in Old Havana contact me and I can put you in touch with Albertico and his lovely mum.

Do/See: Day time:
Get a ride in an Amercian classic. In 1 hour you ll get to enjoy some of the city s monuments and famous neighbourhoods, with the driver s historical knowledge. You can get these from the Parque Central. Ensure that you ask your driver where they will be taking you and that they will allow you to get out and take photos. Negotiate to pay no more than $15CUC per person if there are 2 of you.

Walk around old Habana and enjoy music around the streets.

Evening:
Go to La Bodeguita del Medio for a Mojito. This is Cuba s most famous restaurant. It s a little too touristic for my liking and the Mojitos are $4CUC (double the price of others), but they have live music and a good atmosphere.

Nightlife:
Check out La Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a bar/club/museum where you will find live music, cinema, paintings, sculptures and much more for 2 CUC entry only!

Ask your host to tell you if there is anything on at the Hotel Nacional during your stay. This is where the famous Buena Vista Social Club music is played live. $25 CUC for entry and 1 drink but it is worth the experience. Make sure to dress up!!

Cuba -> Viñales: You can ask (negotiate with) your hostel/Air BnB host to book you a taxi collectivo for $15-20 CUC per person.

Viñales (2 nights)Sleep:
There are many casas particulares on Air BnB. I am unable to share the one I stayed in but please contact me if you want their contact.

Eat:
I can t remember the name of the place sorry!! but it was one of the 2 only restaurants to offer Vegetarian menus and the 2 places were next to each other on a street corner. The town is tiny so you will find it if you look
I ordered the vegetable brochettes for $3.50 CUC and they were very good and came with rice and salad.

Do/See:
Horse ride through the Valle del Silencio and a tobacco farm where you will learn about cigars and a sugar cane and coffee farm where you will be able to have a sugar based aphrodisiac drink or a coffee. Negotiatie to pay no more than $20 CUC per person

Day Trip to Cayo Jutias. The road is long and bumpy but the beach is stunning and you can eat lobster with your feet in the sand! Once again, negotiate so you don t pay more than $15 CUC per person.

Trinidad (3 nights)Sleep:
I wouldn t recommend my lovely host in Trinidad as the place had a major humidity problem but there are loads of casas particulares on Air BnB. A little more expensive than Havana and Viñales though.

Do/See:
Get a taxi to the Waterfalls near a Restaurant calles “El Cubano”. The driver will know where. The taxi will wait for you while you ejoy the waterfall (including the 40-45 min to and from the waterfalls). We paid $24 CUC for 3 of us and stayed about 3 hours. The entry to the national park is a non-negotiatble $10 CUC which makes this a slightly expensive outing but the waterfall is breathtaking and you can swim and even jump into the cool water.

Havana (1 night)
As above

Extra Tips:
Bring enough cash if you can as cash points are quite unreliable.
Don t forget essentials like toothpaste and shampoo as these are not so easy to find.
Take time to speak to locals, most Cubans have never left the island and are very curious about the outside world and enjoy talking to tourists.
Women, accept that you will be approached by men in the street A LOT, take deep breaths and try to take this as a compliment.
Keep an eye on your belongings. Cuba is very safe for the most part but there is still a lot of poverty so avoid temptation by keeping your valuables on you when possible.